Life of Indian Farmer
India is the second populated country of the world. Majority of its people are working in the fields. Indian farmer is worldwide famous. Indian farmer is very hard working. He gets up early in the morning, takes his plough alongwith cattle to the field before it is full day light. He works there all day without caring for hardship of weather. It is all the same for him irrespective of season. We find him ploughing, sowing and reaping in biting cold, hot winds of summer and showers of rain. He works ceaselessly till noon, when his wife or children bring midday meal for him. He takes the meal under the shade of some tree. Having eaten his meagre food and drink water of a flowing brook or well, he again resumes his work. Often he sings regional songs to break the monotony of his hard labour. He returns home in the evening when the darkness approaches. He is greeted by his children at the door of his cottage. He takes little rest. That time is the happiest time for him. After taking meal he joins the group of villagers to enjoy their company. He smokes and chats with them. He feels mental as well as physical relief during that time. Many jokes are cut and stories narrated among the villagers. Having passed an hour in laughing and talking, he returns home for his well-earned rest.
The life of an Indian farmer is full of difficulties. He passes typical day always. In-spite of his hard labour, he lives a life of extreme poverty. His standard of living is low due to shortage of money. He is born in debt, lives in debt and dies in debt. His crops are at the mercy of rain. His crop is often destroyed by flood and storms. He, sometime, suffers from famine. But the farmer still contends by believing on God. He is the one who is always a God fearing person.
There are no proper medical facilities available for farmers in rural areas. Hospitals and clinics are generally in urban areas which are beyond his reach. He faces health hazards many times. When he falls ill, he finds no treatment. He has no money to get treatment through a private doctor. Medicines are also very costly these days. That poor farmer dies untreated and uncured for.
The facilities for education in respect of his children are very meagre. The condition of school buildings is pathetic in the villages. The turnout of teachers is poor. The standard of teaching is very low. His children suffer due to lack of good schooling. That is the reason of their illiteracy. Their illiteracy and poverty force them to go for labour and work on the farms. These are the reasons why his children are not getting good jobs and they are not progressing in their life in the absence of good education and skill. The Indian farmer gives food to the country, but he dies of hunger. He makes the country rich by getting foreign exchange through export of foodgrain, but he remains poor.
On the other side the farmer enjoys fresh air, pollution free environment and sunshine, which are the great blessings to him. He gets fresh food, fresh milk, pure ghee and fresh vegetables which a man in the city rarely gets. Moreover, the villagers are sympathetic and extend greater co-operation to one another in the time of distress. They always carry fellow-feeling and brotherhood. They carry out major work in a group with team spirit. On the contrary such type of behaviour is not being extended by the people in urban areas. The next door neighbours do not know each other in city areas.
The standard of agriculture is gradually improving. There are a number of agriculturists who are cultivating with machines, tools and tractors. They are doing very well. But majority of farmers are still doing with old methods. They are still using wooden plough. All the work is being done manually. It is the reason why the yield is very less. They depend on monsoon “Irrigation facilities are in-sufficient. Their crop is destroyed due to drought in case of failure of monsoon.
India is a big country. Its major occupation is agriculture. 70% population is working in the farms. Our economy depends on agricultural products. The farmer who produces the crop is very important and useful for the country. It is necessary to improve the agricultural system for enabling him to produce more. Though Government has taken various steps to improve the land as well as product through periodical five-year plans, there is still a lot of scope for improvement. The farmers are to be educated to grow with modernised methods as in Japan, the USA, the UK and Canada. The farmers are to be encouraged to go for new tools, machines and tractors. An arrangement may be made atleast up to the district Block level to provide healthy seeds and seedlings to the farmers at concessional rates. The farmers in India are generally poor. They need maximum possible subsidy in chemical fertilizers and insecticides. They need financial assistance to improve the land and to buy tools and machines which are required to be obtained at low rate of interest.
No doubt that some farmers of advanced states like Punjab and Haryana are using machines and tractors for cultivation and getting good crop. But further improvement is possible by making the system scientific, computerised and professional for achieving desired results. That will also bring more charm in the life of a farmer. It will be instrumental for inspiring him to work whole heartily and making him able to produce more. That only will help to improve his standard of living and social status. When the farmers are well of, it would have a very positive impact on country’s economy and progress.
The Government of India is very serious for bringing maximum improvement in the field of agriculture. Maximum power has been given to Panchayati Raj where the decisions are to be taken only by the people to work out their own destiny. This system is working effectively. The life of Indian farmer would then change within a few years. He would be a happy, healthy, wealthy and prosperous man within a short period as an outcome of new policy of government in the field of agriculture.
